Most headaches will go away on their own and are not a sign of something more serious.
How you can ease headaches yourself
Headaches can last between 30 minutes and several hours.
Do
- drink plenty of water
- get plenty of rest if you have a cold or the flu
- try to relax – stress can make headaches worse
- exercise when you can
- take paracetamol or ibuprofen
Don't
- do not drink alcohol
- do not skip meals (even if you might not feel like eating anything)
- do not sleep more than you usually would – it can make the headache worse
- do not strain your eyes for a long time – for example, by looking at a screen
See a GP if:
- your headache keeps coming back
- painkillers do not help and your headache gets worse
- you have a bad throbbing pain at the front or side of your head – this could be a migraine or, more rarely, a cluster headache
- you feel sick, vomit and find light or noise painful
- you get other symptoms – for example, your arms or legs feel numb or weak
Call 999 or go to A&E if:
- you injured your head badly – for example, from a fall or accident
- the headache came on suddenly and is extremely painful
You have an extremely painful headache and:
- sudden problems speaking or remembering things
- loss of vision
- you're feeling drowsy or confused
- you have a very high temperature, feel hot and shivery, and have a stiff neck or a rash
- the white part of your eye is red
What can cause headaches
The most common reasons are:
- having a cold or the flu
- stress
- drinking too much alcohol
- bad posture
- eyesight problems
- not eating regular meals
- not drinking enough fluids (dehydration)
- taking too many painkillers
- women having their period or menopause
[Last reviewed 2017-12-21]
